Paperwork is DONE!

Woo hoo! Got Lissi's SS number today. That's it! Last piece of paperwork. No more looming lines, fees, or waiting! Woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bugs in the night

...or why my kids room smells like salad dressing!

Cal has been getting strange bug bites once a week or so. He gets them in patches (such as in a line on his back, in a clump on his shoulders, leg, etc). They itch him like crazy. This has been going on for 2 months. The final straw was when he woke up screaming on Thanksgiving night and his whole body was literally errupting into a rash (allergic reaction to the bug bites???).

We literally spent the entire last 3 days washing and steam cleaning EVERYTHING in the house. We sprayed and scrubbed the kids' entire bunkbed with a scouring brush and vinegar spray. I'm surprised our washing machine and dryer still work after all the pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals that we've washed. We also have every leg of the bunkbed and ladder sitting in a container of oil since that will prevent any bugs from climbing onto or off of the bed (can't swim in oil). This is all quite involved considering that we have no idea what is going on. No new bites yet, but they've been coming about once a week in the past. We're all pretty paranoid now. I spent "Black Friday" at Ikea buying Cal a new mattress and a vinyl cover for my bed (please don't spread!!!). So much for "Buy Nothing Day"....

Our living room look is changing...

Out with the Ikea corner cabinet (that never had a cabinet to live in), in with a cool Asian dragon chest to store Lissi's clothes that are still too big for her.



Yeah Craig's List!

My reading genious kid

Finally... Cal read a book without jumping up and down, making strange noises, or complaining mid-page! Listen to this... Makes his mommy proud!



(note: this is one of many books that he practices reading on a regular basis. This is NOT the first time he has read the book. But he is reading... this is not a memorized book. Practice, practice, practice!)

One reason (of many) that my husband ROCKS!

2 weekends ago I had to go to a 2 day conference. That same day my favorite store was having a huge sale--40% off the entire store. This one just couldn't be missed. So I asked Wink to get to the store at it's opening (with the kids of course) and buy me clothes like crazy! Not only did he arrive at 10:05 with 2 kids, a cane, and a stroller, he shopped for an hour, and stood in line to purchase for 45 minutes. What a great husband!!! Both the kids and Wink got multiple compliments on their ability to shop for mama from the child-less, children-less women grabbing clothes.

Due to our budget, I couldn't keep everything. But look at what I did keep! Everything here was between $2.50-$12 each :) !!



As if that wasn't enough.... I thought I was the deal master. I've been doing www.grocerygame.com for the last 6 months and finding some great deals at the stores. I asked Wink to go to Safeway yesterday and get 2 boxes of Wheat Thins (he loves these) along with a few coupons I had cut for him. The total price should have been 95 cents after the coupons (great deal!). I come home from work to discover that he had bought SIX boxes of Wheat Thins and paid only $1.09 total! Wowzers! He wins for best deal finder husband ever!!!

Happy sick Birthday Wink

We had to cancel two dinner plans (last night and tonight) because the family is sick :( Lissi in particular has had the lethargic, glazed over look for a few days and Cal's totally unproductive cough is disheartening. I stayed home from work twice this week, and now Wink is getting the cold as well. :( The birthday celebration will need to be temporarily postponed.